Online Outreach Services among Men Who Use the Internet to Seek Sex with Other Men (MISM) in Ontario, Canada: An Online Survey

Background

Men who use the Internet to seek sex with other men (MISM) are increasingly using the Internet to find sexual health information and to seek sexual partners, with some research suggesting HIV transmission is associated with sexual partnering online. Aiming to “meet men where they are at,” some AIDS service organizations (ASOs) deliver online outreach services via sociosexual Internet sites and mobile apps.

Objective

To investigate MISM's experiences and self-perceived impacts of online outreach.

Methods

From December 2013 to January 2014, MISM aged 16 years or older were recruited from Internet sites, mobile apps, and ASOs across Ontario to complete a 15-minute anonymous online questionnaire regarding their experience of online outreach. Demographic factors associated with encountering online outreach were assessed using backward-stepwise multivariable logistic regression (P<.05 was considered significant).

Results

Of 1830 MISM who completed the survey, 8.25% (151/1830) reported direct experience with online outreach services. Encountering online outreach was more likely for Aboriginal versus white MISM, MISM from Toronto compared with MISM from either Eastern or Southwestern Ontario, and MISM receiving any social assistance. MISM who experienced online outreach felt the service provider was 

• friendly (130/141, 92.2%), 
• easy to understand (122/140, 87.1%), 
• helpful (115/139, 82.7%), 
• prompt (107/143, 74.8%), and 
• knowledgeable (92/134, 68.7%); 
• half reported they received a useful referral (49/98, 50%). 
• Few MISM felt the interaction was annoying (13/141, 9.2%) 
• or confusing (18/142, 12.7%). 

As a result of their last online outreach encounter, MISM reported the following: 

• better understanding of (88/147, 59.9%) and 
• comfort with (75/147, 51.0%) their level of sexual risk; 
• increased knowledge (71/147, 48.3%); and 
• feeling less anxious (51/147, 34.7%), 
• better connected (46/147, 31.3%), and 
• more empowered (40/147, 27.2%). 

Behaviorally, they reported 

• using condoms more frequently (48/147, 32.7%) 
• and effectively (35/147, 23.8%); 
• getting tested for HIV (43/125, 34.4%) 
• or STIs (42/147, 28.6%); 
• asking for their partners’ HIV statuses (37/147, 25.2%); 
• and serosorting (26/147, 17.7%). 

Few MISM reported 

• no changes (15/147, 10.2%) 
• and most would use these services again (98/117, 83.8%). 

Most MISM who did not use online outreach said they did not need these services (1074/1559, 68.89%) or were unaware of them (496/1559, 31.82%).

Conclusions

This is the first online outreach evaluation study of MISM in Canada. Online outreach services are a relatively new and underdeveloped area of intervention, but are a promising health promotion strategy to provide service referrals and engage diverse groups of MISM in sexual health education.

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/6pYu6G

By:  David J Brennan, MSW, PhD, ¹ Nathan J Lachowsky, PhD,^1,2,3 Georgi Georgievski, HBSc,¹ Brian R Simon Rosser, MPH, PhD,⁴ Duncan MacLachlan,⁵ James Murray, MEd,⁶ and Cruising Counts Research Team¹

¹University of Toronto, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

²University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine, Vancouver, BC, Canada

³British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, BC, Canada

⁴University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN, United States

⁵Ontario HIV Treatment Network, Toronto, ON, Canada

⁶Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, AIDS Bureau, Toronto, ON, Canada

David J Brennan, University of Toronto, Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON, M5S1V4, Canada, Phone: 1 416 978 3273, Fax: 1 416 978 7072, Email: ac.otnorotu@nannerb.divad.

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Cell Phone Internet Access, Online Sexual Solicitation, Partner Seeking, and Sexual Risk Behavior among Adolescents

Online partner seeking is associated with sexual risk behavior among young adults (specifically men who have sex with men), but this association has yet to be explored among a probability sample of adolescents. Moreover, cell phone internet access and sexual risk taking online and offline have not been explored. A probability sample (N = 1,831) of Los Angeles Unified School District high school students was collected in 2011. Logistic regression models assessed relationships between specific sexual risk behaviors (online sexual solicitation, seeking partners online, sex with internet-met partners, condom use) and frequency of internet use, internet access points, and demographics. 

Students with cell phone internet access were more likely to report being solicited online for sex, being sexually active, and having sex with an internet-met partner. Bisexual-identifying students reported higher rates of being approached online for sex, being sexually active, and not using condoms at last sex. Gay, lesbian, and questioning (GLQ) students were more likely to report online partner seeking and unprotected sex at last sex with an internet-met partner. 

Additionally, having sex with an internet-met partner was associated with being male, online sexual solicitation, and online partner seeking. Internet- and school-based sexual health programs should incorporate safety messages regarding online sexual solicitation, seeking sex partners online, and engaging in safer sex practices with all partners. 

Programs must target adolescents of all sexual identities, as adolescents may not yet be "out," and bisexual and GLQ adolescents are more likely to engage in risky sex behaviors.

Purchase full article at:  http://goo.gl/b8ix0w

By:   Rice E1, Winetrobe H, Holloway IW, Montoya J, Plant A, Kordic T.

• 1School of Social Work, University of Southern California, 1150 S. Olive St., 14th Floor, Los Angeles, CA, 90015, USA, ericr@usc.edu. 

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And: http://twitter.com/Prison_Health